I miss blogging...

I've neglected my blog for a long time, and its down to having frequent internet hiatuses and having lots of work to get on with. However, I am going back to uni in a few weeks and should start on a more regular routine that I can fit blogging into...
I'd love to start doing Illustration Friday again so hopefully that can fit in.

As for now, here's what I have been up to over the past few weeks/months:

Bluebeard sketches based on the fantastic fairytale-

Jason and the Argonauts (Futuristic) concept sketches-

And a few random things of course-

A productive few days!

Ive done quite a bit of drawing over the past few days, and today sparks my Daily Draw challenge which should make me even more productive!

Here's what Ive been up to!

 

Medusa Tattoo design

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 Songbird

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Commission work

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A favor for a friend

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Little Red Riding Hood

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And finally.. H.P. Lovecraft!

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Its been very busy since Uni finished for the year!

Let's hope it is a productive summer. =)

My daily draw challenge can be followed on my Tumblr blog!

http://zestydoesthings.tumblr.com/

IF- Faded

 

I haven done Illustration Friday for a little while due to uni workload,

but I've just finished me latest project and have now got the time to do some

personal illustration. (see post below for a look at my latest uni work)

This was more of an experiment than anything, as I'm trying to make lighting

a more prominent part of my work. Please let me know what you think

 and whether you can tell the form of the character well enough?

Its need some more work I think, but I'm okay with it at the moment. 

I'd like to try it again sometime with a more cartoon like character...

(c) Toby Allen 2012

IF- Heights

From the heights of his vast intelligence to his huge love of vanilla ice cream, the 

Fez monster is definitely not a force to be reasoned with. He is always right and

if you dare try to correct him, he will do something drastic about it!

Deep down he's a softy really... Oh and he has an acute fear of heights, so he can't

fly. And when I say acute... I mean EXTREME.

--

This is a monster I designed for a project at uni which will come to light very soon.

It's called 'Monsters with Hats'

(c) Toby Allen 2012

IF- Capable

Sir Cape-Pebble and his trusty sidekick Broomsworth!

Superheroes of the Victorian age!

They are both rather 'Capable' aren't they?

PS

Thank you everyone, so much for the comments on last weeks 

illustration! I appreciate them all! 

IF- Fluid

A very sketchy one this week.

I should have spent more time on it, but I rather like the sketchy feel.

Anyway, its a mermaid in a bottle. Of course. 

Character Development

Me and my cousin are developing a story idea I've had for a long time, called 'A Nyght's Tale'. The characters were created ages ago but the story had never been fleshed out properly. 

As I said the story is being written fully and will hopefully be put forward in some form in the future, either in a comic form or a game or something.

Anyway, I've been working on the character designs and discovered my characterization and character development has come on a lot recently.

Nyght the main character. How he looks in the real world (left) 

and how he looks in the dreamworld. (right)

Grulff, Nyghts companion. Dreamworld form (left) and real

world form. (right)

Nyght works in a coffee shop.

Grulff in his ogre form. 

Character designs (c) Toby Allen 2012

IF- Suspense

I gave myself the weekend to relax, ahead of a busy week to come.

But was uninspired by the prompt for Illustration Friday. 

I tried something a little different though.

I was intending to animate the minute hand as if it were stuck just before midnight...

but it didn't work out so well so I gave up.

Wizard of Oz pop up book

I found some old photos of my final major project in my Foundation diploma.

I made a pop up book spread featuring a scene from The Wizard of Oz.

It makes me want to play with pop ups again!

All work (c) Toby Allen

IF- Highlight

I challenged myself for this week's Illustration Friday, as it was my first piece of art of 2012.

I could have no preconceived ideas for the illustration, I had to do it in one sitting 

and I could only use four base colours. 

I think the outcome works quite well. I don't know what the bug thing is...

Maybe it needs a name?

I worked on the lighting mostly in this picture, as it's something I don't always

consider allot in my work. 

Here's to a fruitful 2012! 

Snow White

I now release concept a poster/cover from my secret little project...

A retelling of Snow White!

Snow White is an oriental fruit moth [who eats apples mostly...]

The dwarfs are vegetables [and the one fruit]

and The Queen is an Orchid Praying Mantis 

New Project

A secret little project that I will keep mostly under wraps until I produce all the concept artwork. 

This time it's a little personal project just for the sake of making something for myself for a change. 

Its a retelling of a well known fairytale. That's all for know. 

Here's a hint maybe.. 

雪白